Belgium: A Melting-Pot of Cultures

Belgium was invaded by France and Germany in early 1990’s and consequentially it now features varied cultures like Celtic, Roman, Spanish, Dutch, French, German and Austrian and can be referred as a true ‘melting pot’. Its located advantageously in the heart of Europe, thereby, it has an excellent infrastructure, especially in Brussels and the architectural wonder, Antwerp that are its major cities.

Belgium Quick Facts:

· National Name: Kingdom of Belgium
· Total Area: 30,528 sq km (11,787 sq miles)
· Total Population: 10,258,76
· National Capital: Brussels
· Major Languages: Dutch, French, German
· Major Religion: Christianity
· Currency: 1 Euro= 100 cents
· GDP per capita (PPP): $33,000 (2006 EST)
· Life Expectancy: 75 years (Male), 82 year(Female) (2006 EST)

Geography and Climate of Belgium:
This country located in the western part of Europe consists of flat coastal plains in the northern part and hilly and forested valleys in the southern part. The temperature remains mild in winters while summers are relatively cooler and humid. It receives rainfall in the month of July with an average precipitation of 65 mm while comparatively it’s higher in the month of January at 78mm. However, it faces a threat of flood in certain reclaimed coastal plains of the country.

Belgian Culture and Cuisine:
Belgium offers an amalgam of different varied cultures thereby it cannot be defined by one national identity. Its art and culture is significantly rich offering an artistic approach to its culture variation through surrealistic paintings and intricate architecture. Besides this, Belgians are known for their lavish celebrations during festivals and carnivals.
Some of the important festivals are:
· Carnival at Binche, held before Lent which includes carnivalesque activities and dancing in particular dresses. As men called ‘Gilles’ wear bright costumes with high, plumed hats.

· Procession of Holy Blood, which is an important children’s holiday commemorating St. Nicholas’s day.

Other than these, Belgians are also known for their music interests, Folklore and etiquettes regarding cleanliness, formal meetings, dressing etc.

Cuisine: This exotic country offers some delectable and sumptuous dishes which are famous world wide featuring a blend of French and German cuisines. The French fries were introduced in Belgium itself and not in France as the name suggests. Also it is known for its wide range of beers, chocolates such as Godiva, Callebaut and many others and also wafers. Some of the typical Belgian dishes include Waterzooi, a casserole of chicken, waffles, pralines, chocolates and a special beer.

Tourist Attractions in Belgium:
There are a number of places to visit in this country. No wonder every year a number of tourists throngs this place. If you are looking to travel to Belgium and mingle with the local Belgians you just cannot miss the great tourist attractions some of which include:

Antwerp: It is known as the Diamond center of the world and has a repute of having some splendid architectural designed buildings belonging to past centuries.

Brussels: This cosmopolitan city is known for its composition of Gothic cathedrals and churches featuring different architectural designs. The Grand’ Place is the historic market in this city having splendid guild houses and a unique Town Hall, considered as the most beautiful town square in Europe.

Other interesting places in Belgium include Ghent, Spa, Bruges, Leuven, Waterloo and Liege.

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